Elizabeth Hopkins' story is one of resilience, determination, and ultimately, triumph. From battling a rare brain tumor in childhood to overcoming life-threatening lung disease and obesity, her journey is an inspiration to anyone facing seemingly insurmountable challenges. This article delves into Elizabeth's health struggles, her remarkable lung transplant, and her inspiring weight loss transformation.
Early Battles: Brain Tumor and Lung Disease
In 1992, at the tender age of two and a half, Elizabeth Hopkins was diagnosed with an ependymoma brain tumor. Following chemotherapy, Elizabeth seized life and did it all. Over the next five years and for the first time, life proceeded normally. However, when Elizabeth was ten, doctors discovered that a chemotherapy drug she received had caused irreversible damage to her lungs, leading to a diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable lung disease.
The Desperate Need for a Lung Transplant
Elizabeth's condition necessitated a double lung transplant, and she was immediately placed on a transplant list at Johns Hopkins University Hospital. This marked the beginning of a new chapter in her life, one filled with uncertainty and hope.
A New Lease on Life: The Lung Transplant
The double lung transplant gave Elizabeth a new lease on life. However, years later, Elizabeth faced another significant health challenge: obesity.
Overweight and Overwhelmed: The Struggle with Obesity
Hopkins' story of being overweight, with a long list of health issues, could be told over and over in Kentucky, where 68 percent of adults are overweight and 34 percent of those are obese.
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Turning Point: Deciding to Lose Weight
Hopkins' weight had taken a toll on her health. “I had developed high blood pressure; I had osteoarthritis in both of my knees, but the back surgery really scared me,” she told Haines.
Finding Support and a Positive Environment
Elizabeth found the support she needed at a weight loss center. “When I started I was welcomed by everyone,” she told Haines. “The atmosphere is so positive, and I’ve made some really good friends since joining because everyone wants everyone to succeed. The Charlotte R. “I have lost 30 pounds and have kept them off for almost two years by working closely with Jodie in the Nutrition Counseling Center. The center provides a knowledgeable framework and supportive atmosphere, which made pursuing the weight loss possible.
Reclaiming Her Life: Improved Health and Renewed Energy
With the weight gone, Hopkins told Haines that she no longer needs her blood-pressure medicine or the over-the-counter medicines for her aches and pains. “I feel like I have come back to life,” she said. “Before I had no energy, I had high blood pressure; I had to take Zantac for indigestion and heartburn at least twice a day. I had to take Ibuprofen and Tylenol for knee pain, back pain - my back hurt, I didn’t feel like doing anything. I came home and sat in a recliner, that was my life.
The Joys of an Active Life: Rollercoasters and Inspiration
“The other thing I’m looking forward to is rollercoasters again,” she told Haines. “I had gotten so huge that it was a struggle for me to get strapped into the seat, so this summer I’m looking forward to riding rollercoasters because I’ll be able to fit in them a little bit easier. Just being more active, feeling good, being a good wife and mom and trying to continue to be an inspiration for anyone that’s interested in it, and thinks that they can’t.
A Broader Perspective: Obesity and Type 1 Diabetes
The increasing prevalence of obesity is not unique to Elizabeth's story. A recent study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health highlights a concerning trend: the increasing use of popular prescription weight-loss drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists by type 1 diabetes patients, despite limited data on the drugs’ safety and effectiveness in this patient population.
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The Rising Obesity Rate Among Type 1 Diabetes Patients
For their study, the researchers analyzed more than 200,000 de-identified medical records of individuals with type 1 diabetes from 2008 to 2023 and found that the obesity rate among type 1 diabetes patients increased for all age groups and ethnicities during this period. The analysis also found that the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists rose sharply as the obesity rate increased across groups. In the highest obesity category, the proportion of adult patients using these medications increased from about 4% in 2008-2011 to about 33% in 2020-2023.
The Use of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Type 1 Diabetes
GLP-1 receptor agonists were developed more than two decades ago to treat type 2 diabetes. Some GLP-1 receptor agonists were subsequently approved for reducing cardiovascular disease risk and for treating obesity in the general patient population. However, many type 1 diabetes patients began taking GLP-1 receptor agonists-despite the fact that the drugs are thought to put type 1 diabetes patients at risk for developing hypoglycemia, a potentially life-threatening low-blood sugar condition. Because of this risk, patients with type 1 diabetes have been excluded from GLP-1 receptor agonists clinical trials.
The Need for More Research
“These findings highlight the urgent need for better data-including clinical trials-on the effectiveness and safety of GLP-1 receptor agonists in people with type 1 diabetes, to inform clear guidelines on their use in these patients,” says study senior author Jung-Im Shin, MD, PhD, an associate professor in the Bloomberg School’s Department of Epidemiology. The study’s first author, Yunwen Xu, PhD, is a postdoctoral researcher in the same department.
Historical Context: Type 1 Diabetes and Weight Loss
Type 1 diabetes was not treatable until the development of insulin treatments in the 1920s. Historically, people with type 1 diabetes tended to be thin, because insulin deficiency led to the breakdown of fat and muscle for energy, causing weight loss.
Data Analysis: A Clear Upward Trend
The data came from electronic health records in a large commercial database and covered the period from October 2008 to September 2023. The researchers grouped the data by three-year periods, starting with October 2008 to September 2011 and ending with October 2020 to September 2023. In keeping with other recent studies, and with trends in the wider population, they found that the prevalence of obesity among type 1 diabetes patients rose significantly from the first period to the last: from 18% to 26% among youth ages 2-19 and from 30% to 38% among adults age 20 and older. This prominent upward trend was seen among whites, Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians; among men and women; and among patients covered by Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial health insurers. The rate of GLP-1 receptor agonist use, as measured by prescriptions, rose even faster. This rapid rise occurred in every one of the five weight categories, from normal weight to severe obesity, and among youth and adults. Four percent of severely obese adults with type 1 diabetes had prescriptions for GLP-1 receptor agonists during the 2008-11 period, whereas that figure rose to 33% in 2020-23.
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